Chinese Food

Cooking Chinese Food for Beginners

Basic Tips for Preparing a Chinese Meal

Chinese food is well known across the United States as a favorite take-out item. Easy to order and pick up, Chinese food is known to most people by the little white boxes it is served in and the fortune cookies saved for desert. However, more and more people are learning how to cook Chinese food at home; and with the various meats and vegetables found in the Oriental cuisine, Chinese food is also proving to be a popular and nutritious meal.

There are a few basic tips for cooks just learning how to cook Chinese food to remember. One is that materials do count. Although it is not absolutely necessary, buying a wok will make preparing Chinese dishes easier and more authentic. Another tip that is obvious, yet important, is that all vegetables should be cleaned thoroughly before cooking begins. When it comes to cooking Chinese food, preparation is key. Also, keep vegetables separated, as each one may have to cook for a different amount of time. Tougher vegetables may need to be cooked in the wok longer than softer vegetables, such as peas.

A Simple Chinese Recipe

Basic Fried Rice is a staple to a Chinese meal. Necessary ingredients include a green onion, one teaspoon salt, two eggs, four tablespoons oil, four cups cold cooked rice, one tablespoon soy sauce and some pepper. First, prepare the vegetables for the meal by washing the green onion and chopping it, then setting it aside. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs and mix in the teaspoon salt and desired amount of pepper. Put the wok on the stove and heat it, then add the oil. When the oil starts to become hot, stir in the eggs until they are lightly scrambled. Then remove the eggs from the pan and set aside. Put two more tablespoons of oil in the wok and add the cooked rice. Fry the rice for a few minutes, making sure that the individual grains are broken apart. Then stir in soy sauce. When the rice is heated, add the scrambled egg and the green onion back into the wok and mix them together.

Vegetable Entrée

Vegetables are an essential part of the Chinese cuisine, and of these, broccoli may be the most popular veggie of all. To create a broccoli focused dish, simply collect ten to twelve ounces of broccoli, washed and chopped into two-inch sections, one teaspoon baking soda, a ½ inch thick slice of ginger, three tablespoons chicken broth, one tablespoon dry sherry, two tablespoons oyster sauce, one teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon sugar. In a wok, add enough water to completely submerge the broccoli. Then add salt, baking soda and ginger to the water and bring the combination to a boil. While this is heating, prepare the sauce by combining the chicken broth, dry sherry, oyster sauce and sugar in a small saucepan and bringing it to a boil. Rinse the broccoli in cold water and drain. Then combine the broccoli to the smaller saucepan and cook until the stalks are tender.

Serve your fried rice alongside the broccoli for a quick meal that is also healthy.